Method and apparatus for treating a substrate with hydrogen radicals at a temperature of less than 40 K

Abstract

A substrate M having a thin film on its surface is supported on a support 4. A gas discharge opening 12A of hydrogen radicals which faces the thin film on the substrate is provided. A semiconductor thin film is deposited on the substrate M by supplying the thin film with hydrogen radicals H from the gas discharge opening 12A while the substrate M is cooled via to 40 K or less through heat conduction via the support 4 by means of refrigerator 3.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A process for forming a semiconductor thin film on the surface of a substrate by supplying said substrate with hydrogen radicals at temperatures of 40 K or less. 
     
     
       2. A process for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film on the surface of a substrate by supplying said substrate with hydrogen radicals while the substrate is cooled to temperature of 40 K or less through heat conduction via a support of said substrate by means of a refrigerator. 
     
     
       3. A process for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film on the surface of a substrate comprising the steps of supporting said substrate having a thin film on its surface; providing an opening for discharging a gas of hydrogen radicals so that it faces to the thin film of said substrate; and supplying said thin film with hydrogen radicals from said gas discharge opening while the substrate is cooled to temperatures below 40 K through heat conduction via said support by means of a refrigerator. 
     
     
       4. A process for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film on the surface of a substrate comprising the steps of supporting said substrate having a thin film on its surface; providing an opening for discharging gas of hydrogen radicals so that it faces to the thin film of said substrate; supplying said thin film with hydrogen radicals from said discharge opening while the substrate is cooled to temperatures below 40 K though heating conduction via said support by means of a refrigerator; and conducting an annealing of the thin film by supplying said thin film with hydrogen radicals from said gas discharge opening while the substrate having said thin film formed thereon is heated to temperatures above room temperature through heating conduction via said support. 
     
     
       5. A process for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film on the surface of a substrate comprising the steps of supporting said substrate having a thin film on its surface; providing an opening for discharging a gas of hydrogen radicals so that it faces to the thin film of said substrate; supplying said thin film with hydrogen radicals from said discharge opening while the substrate is cooled to temperatures below 40 K though heating conduction via said support by means of a refrigerator; and thereafter conducting an annealing of said semiconductor thin film by heating said substrate having the semiconductor film formed thereon through heating conduction via the support while supply of said semiconductor thin film with hydrogen radicals is continued. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus for forming a semiconductor thin film, comprising a vacuum chamber, a refrigerator having a cooling head, which is capable of cooling the head to temperatures below 40 K, hydrogen radical generating means, a support for supporting a substrate which is in contact with said cooling head so that it is cooled, heating means for heating said support to temperatures above room temperature, hydrogen radical generating means for generating hydrogen radicals by exciting a hydrogen-containing gas and a hydrogen radical gas discharge opening which is disposed opposite to said substrate for spraying a hydrogen-containing gas which contains hydrogen radicals generated from said hydrogen radical generating means upon said thin film.